Workout Wednesday : Personal Training

The Biggest Loser fascinates and terrifies me in equal measures. I would love to take 4 months off from life and just focus on getting back to my regular weight. BUT, I would not love working out until I puke or having someone scream at me. Plus, who wants to weigh in wearing a sports bra when your belly is hanging out?

Thank goodness not all personal trainers are like that! And it doesn't have to be a weekly commitment either. Lisa developed a program I can do at home around the girl, and since she has 3 kids she understood the limitations, and how hard it can be to take off the baby weight after the 3rd kid. It's like your body is hanging onto the chub, sure you're just going to get preggers again.

Lisa also teaches the Cardio Jam class I like so much, so she checks in with my progress and struggles periodically. Plus, she taught Diva's baby ballet class, so she was able to witness the baby girl antics first hand!

For me, personal training helped give me a plan for days I can't get to a class. I don't even have to do the whole plan, just bits of it along the day. I plan on going back in the summer to try and get some ideas for taking the at-home workout outside.

Workout Wednesday : Cardioke

Kareoke combined with cardio dance moves? It sounded more fun that it actually turned out to be. I think I'm spoiled by the fresh music in my Cardio Jam class (we get a new song the first Monday of every month) and the up-to-date songs on Just Dance 2. Dancing to the oldies isn't my thing.

I liked the concept, and the idea that singing while dancing can burn twice the calories. No clue is this is actually true, but I'm going to start singing while doing Just Dance 2. And maybe quietly singing in Cardio Jam.

Workout Wednesday :: Just Dance 2

Santa delivered this Wii game to SmallBoy, who wants to be a rock star. Actually, he wants to join the Disney band Big Time Rush. He's quite specific - apparently, they need a blond and he already knows all of their songs. Until they come knocking, Santa thought he could practice his dancing skillz.

And then I fell in love with the game. It's hilarious. Somehow, my boy is a whiz at Viva Las Vegas and Monster Mash, while I am unbeatable at Firework, well, at least within my own home. It's fun to watch and fun to play. In fact, I've arm twisted two of my girlfriends into buying it for their families, and turned a normal baby girl playdate into a dancing mama frenzy!

I think it's a great cardio workout too. After the fourth song, I'm glistening, and if I do more than ten I'll need a shower. So, hey, it counts. And I don't even have to go to the gym :)

Workout Wednesday :: Bootcamp

When my workout partner and I first signed up at the gym, we decided we would try all the group exercise classes once. Just to see what they were like...and because I have ADD and changing things up keeps me engaged.

We both thought we would have to crawl out of bootcamp, expecting a drill seargent and thousands of push-ups. Instead we have an adorable instructor with an amazing body that makes you want to do the ridiculous things she suggests.

Like get into a plank position and inch your way across the room. Or in my case...over 8 inches before you collapse. Or do a wall sit while alternating bicep curls with hammer curls. For 2 minutes. Guess how long it took me to stand up? Hey, I kept up with the arm work. Whatevs.

The 3-day/week class is different each time (step & tone on Mondays, cardio & tone on Wednesdays, and stations on Friday). I love when we do things in short bursts because it gives me less time to hate it and complain about it. I can throw a medicine ball, do squats with a ketel ball, push a punching bag, do crunches, bridges, lunges...anything for a minute.

There's not enough stretching at the end for me, and I have to modify a lot of it because of the wrist that's pinned together and the plantar faciaitis, but I make it work.

And really need a shower after.

Workout Wednesday :: Cardio Jam

Twice a week I get dressed up to go out drinking and dancing with my girlfriends. Since we're the post-thirty mommy set, this means workout clothes, water, and Cardio Jam. The class is our gym's hip-hop version of Zumba. The class is easily divided into the five girls who can dance and the forty of us who don't go out dancing anymore for a reason!

It's the most fun you can have exercising, even my neighbor's twelve-year-old will go with us on occasion, and she is usually much too cool for us. I like dancing around, and listening to club-worthy music. The workout is probably similar to an hour of Just Dance 2, but the social aspect make it much more fun.

Workout Wednesday :: Water Aerobics

If you have a naughty mind, and a friend who's mind is dirtier than yours...be careful in water aerobics. We've taken two, a deep water class with a bouancy belt that was like 8th grade gym class in the water. It went buy quickly, but wasn't a very good workout. However, my friend did get lucky, or maybe the old man swimming past her as she touched his butt got lucky. Heck, it probably made his day!

Shallow water aerobics was a better workout, making use of pool noodles. Now...The big black noodles are the hardest and give you the best workout.

No joke, the instructor said that.

The white noodles are good too, a little gentler.

I cannot make this schizz up.

Now put the noodle between your legs and ride it like a rocking horse.

You see what I mean?!?

I may go back just for the comedy!

Workout Wednesday :: Spinning

Or Indoor Cycling as my gym calls it. But let's be honest...it makes your crotch hurt! Oh my wowza. I think my crotch was more sore than my legs.

Great for cardio, but not comfortable.

To try and mitigate the pain, a girlfriend bought one of those cushy gel seat covers.

It slipped.

And she fell off the bike going full speed and twisted her ankle.

We haven't been back to spin class.

Workout Wednesday :: Yoga

Savasana. That's why I go to yoga class. They end with a rest period called savasana. Lying down for 5 - 15 minutes (depending on the instructor) is amazing for a mom-on-the-go. I love it.

Now exalted warrior, that's a post I am not a fan of. Yoga looks so natural and easy, so much like stretching. But there are poses that make you sweat and your muscles cramp. But they're always followed by luxurious stretching poses. In all, you kind of feel like you didn't get a workout when you leave.

And then the next morning you wonder why your shoulders feel like you spend the afternoon rock climbing.

Workout Wednesday :: Stability Ball

It sounds dirty, spending the evening playing with balls. Add in all the time we spend sitting on a ball and circling our hips, and it because impossible for me not to make crude jokes. which makes the class all the more fun!

It doesn't seem like a giant ball would help much, but I am more sore after this class than any other. Plus, it's taught me some great modifications I can work into other classes.

Alas...my gym cancelled it. I need to figure out a way to get it back!

Workout Wednesday

This year, I'm going to focus more energy on developing healthy habits. Like working out. I joined the local rec center last summer, and have been inching my way towards being a workout maven ever since.

Lookout for workout Wednesday posts where I chat up my misadventures in exercise!